The present invention relates to the field of handling culinary preparations. It relates to a system for handling food preparations for conveying a preparation between different preparation stations, such as, inter alia, the dough forming station, the sauce loading station, the toppings loading station, the cooking station and the packing station.
The present invention relates in particular to the handling of dough-based culinary preparations to be cooked and the use of the system in an automated system for culinary preparations, in particular for preparing pizzas. The present invention is situated within the field of automatic distribution, semi-industrial fast-food catering and industrial culinary preparations.
Automated machines are known in the state of the prior art for preparing pizzas in which conveying the preparation between the different stations of the preparation chain is carried out via several different handling devices. Thus, document EP1107199 discloses the use of a first handling device comprising gripping elements making it possible to convey a dough piece from a storage space to a container. A second, separate handling device arranged in the form of a shovel and comprising an unloading lever makes it possible to convey the pizza from the container to a cooking station. Finally, a third device comprising a grill arranged in order to receive the preparation makes it possible to convey the preparation from the oven to a distribution station. A drawback of this type of conveyance system is that it requires the use of several different handling elements. This has the effect of increasing the size of the automated machines, making their design and maintenance more complex, and increasing the risk of breakdown. A further drawback lies in the type of handling elements used, as some of these elements may result in marks on the preparation when grasping it during handling. Other elements require a step of transferring the preparation from one element to another, which may cause defects in the appearance, or even the loss of toppings.
The document FR2971122 is also known in the state of the prior art, describing the use of an automatic oven loader making it possible to load and unload pizzas, pies or loaves. The invention discloses a device comprising gripping elements arranged in order to recover the preparation and on which the preparation rests, and a food pusher making it possible to unload the preparation. A drawback of this type of handling means is associated with the fact that the preparations can be damaged or even pierced by the gripping element during loading or by the food pusher during unloading. In addition, the gripping elements cause significant repeated friction on the support on which the preparation rests.
An aim of the invention is to propose a single handling system the purpose of which is to overcome the various aforementioned drawbacks.
A further aim of the invention is to propose a single handling system making it possible to convey a culinary preparation between different stations during preparation.
A further aim of the invention is to be able to load one culinary preparation and take up another culinary preparation in one and the same pass.
A further aim of the invention is to propose a system making it possible to provide even cooking of the culinary preparations.
A further aim of the invention is to propose a system that is adapted to any type of support of the culinary preparation, in particular to delicate supports such as the support comprising a coating, for example Teflon™, or cooking supports, for example firestones.
A further aim of the invention is to be able to peel off the culinary preparation from its support in a reliable and reproducible manner without damaging it.
A further aim of the invention is to propose a system making it possible to handle non-rigid culinary preparations.